Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo still on goal drought, set new Champions League assist record

Real Madrid’s and Portuguese international Cristiano Ronaldo may be enduring his longest goal drought in competition, but he is still playing huge part in creating chances for his teammates.

The reigning Ballon d’Or winner has set a new personal best record for assists in a single Champions League season with Real Madrid. Ronaldo assists for Toni Kroos set up Madrid second goal in their 3-1 last-16 first-leg win over Napoli at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.

Ronaldo, who showed superb skill and a quick turn to skip beyound Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly before teeing up Kroos, how as now nothched up five assists in eight appearances in the 2016-17 competition and a personal record in his time with the Los Blancos.

He may not have scored against Maurizio Sarri’s side, as it was Karim Benzema and Casemiro who got the other goals after Lorenzo Insigne’s opener for the Napples but the fact the Portugal has a total of five chances for his side diminishes the notion of him being a selfish centre-forward.

5 – Cristiano Ronaldo has provided 5 assists in the CL this term; the most he's registered in a single campaign for Real Madrid. Unselfish.

In face, no player for the reigning champions nor Napoli made more key passes than Ronaldo’s five, only Insigne with Real’s Luka Modric on three each.

The four-time Ballon d’or winner netted a fantastic free-kick as Madrid came from behind to beat Sporting 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu and then opened the scoring for Zinedine Zidane’s side in Dortmund after 17 minutes in a 2-2 draw on September 27.

Ahead of the last-16 tie against the Italian giants on Wednesday, Ronaldo, who was 32 earlier this month, failed to see the back of net that tally in the games home and away to Legia Warsa, Real trip to Lisbon and their clash with BVB at the Bernabeu, become the former Manchester United forward longest goal drought for Madrid in the continental competition, in which he has seen the net 80 in 81 games for Los Blancos.

In the competition, he has bagged 34 in 28 fixtures for Real, but he was unable to add on that when the reigning champions took on Napoli on Wednesday night. While creating an opportunity for Kroos in a tough 3-1 win, he was still unable to bring an end to his dry spell which now stands at 523 minutes.

He will get the chance to get back to scoring ways when Madrid visit Maurizio Sarri’s men for the return fixture on 7 March.

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